


The Layover

by LenaLuthorOwnsMe



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Powers, F/F, Flirting, Happy Ending, Light Angst, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-18 04:20:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15477549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LenaLuthorOwnsMe/pseuds/LenaLuthorOwnsMe
Summary: just another one shot nobody asked for. lol.also, all Dutch and French words are translated I couldn't speak any of those language, i apologies for any inaccuracies.p.s. i'm working on the finale of my long fic, it's on the works this is just a breather. ;)





	The Layover

**Author's Note:**

> just another one shot nobody asked for. lol.
> 
> also, all Dutch and French words are translated I couldn't speak any of those language, i apologies for any inaccuracies.
> 
> p.s. i'm working on the finale of my long fic, it's on the works this is just a breather. ;)

Trench coats, furs, leather gloves, boots.

 

Flight announcer's voice, gates, airport guards, baggage, hand carries, passports, tourists.

 

Waiting area.

 

Growing impatience.

 

Crying kids.

 

Almost making out couples.

 

Hipsters looking like homeless people with Starbucks cup and a Macbook.

 

It's winter almost Christmas, and Kara's heart is colder than the weather.

 

The 26 year old, model-slash-rich kid, just got out of her three month relationship with a frat boy-slash-rich kid boyfriend.

 

Kara can't even remember when it all started, but she knows exactly when it ended, that fated evening when Mike was all drunk and one of Kara's model friends became the subject Mike's of entertainment.

 

That night was not like any other night, Kara was sober enough to know what was happening, the party was going crazy and even before she knows it, the deed was done. She walked right into a naked Mike on the lazy-boy in some random room with Kara's model friend still on top of him.

 

It certainly wasn't a good start of a story let alone it was almost Christmas, but that crappy start will lead Kara to something good, or so she hopes.

 

She's set to fly to Ireland, just because, good culture, good music, good people, beer. All Kara knows was she seeks love, it may not be from a new relationship, it maybe not from a man or a woman she'll meet along the way, but from herself alone. She needs to be redux.

 

The blur of the people passing in front of Lena was definitely dizzying. Even if her attention was on the Bill Bryson book she's clutching the murmurs and buzz of people going to and fro is hard not to notice in her sharp peripheral vision.

 

Lena loves to read, fictions, non-fictions, newspapers, magazines, flyers, shampoo bottles, even people.

 

She's a doctor, she was born and raised in Ireland. She's just coming home from a six-month volunteerism in Kenya.

 

She's a little uptight knowing her profession, but the 27 year old successful is searching for a meaning like any other young stable professional, love.

 

Layover.

 

Aer Lingus flight number AL1001 was laid over in Paris because of an emergency.

 

Unaware of the existence of each other and mindless of the presence beside them.

 

"Layover on a Christmas Day sucks." Kara blurts to no one, mostly herself.

 

"Christmas Day on an airport sucks." Lena answers not removing her eyes on her book.

 

Kara side eyed the stranger who answered her, it's not wrong to assume that the poised stranger sporting an all black winter clothes with a maroon beanie clutching a Bill Bryson book of The Short History of Nearly Everything, was talking to her because they're seated side by side on a half empty row of chairs in the waiting area, the next person on the row was seven chairs away.

 

"Spending Christmas with a broken heart sucks." Kara states again

 

"Spending Christmas with the wrong person sucks more." The stranger answers as she flipped another page.

 

"Not knowing that the person you are with was the wrong one until it was too late sucks." Kara blurts

 

"You should've known that they're the wrong one, the wrong ones always have something unpleasant you tend to keep up with because you're blinded with the feelings you have for them so in the end, you suck." The stranger blunts, and although offended, Kara found herself agreeing.

 

"American." Kara not dropping the banter

 

"Irish." The stranger answered.

 

"Model."

 

"Doctor."

 

"Drifter."

 

"Dweller."

 

"Ireland."

 

"Ireland."

 

"Name."

 

"No."

 

"Nickname."

 

"Sure."

 

"Kar."

 

"Lee."

 

"Strangers not telling me their names sucks." Kara concludes. The woman softly chuckles.

 

"Strangers who don't tell their names are awesome." The stranger says then closes her book and looked at Kara who's already looking at her.

 

"Why?"

 

"Because if you don't know their real names they tend to stay as strangers and they'll be carefree. They're more comfortable and relaxed and you'll have a good chat." The stranger says a matter-of-factly. "Coffee?" The stranger offers with the genuine smile, Kara felt her insides churn and her heart melt in an instant.

 

"Yes please?" Kara casually says trying to keep her cool.

 

"So you do this a lot in your travels?" Lena asks as they settled on an empty table by the glass windows over viewing the runway of the French international airport.

 

"Do what?" Kara wonders as she take a sip on her pumpkin spice latte.

 

"Talk to strangers randomly and have coffee with them?" Lena raises an eyebrow

 

"Nope. I tend to be really discreet, I don't do this all the time, as in never I guess, because people can easily recognize me from the television." Kara truthfully answers.

 

"Oh, so why did you make an exception with me?"

 

"You don't seem affected by me. You don't seem to know me at all." Kara challenges, _coz I'm the one pretty fucking affected by you._ Kara thought.

 

"I don't seem affected by your obvious beauty? Or natural charm? Or your smart mouth?" Lena deliberately asks no filters, making Kara admire her cryptically.

 

Kara had always loved honest people. Because people in the entertainment industry tend to bend the truth or more likely lie for the image they're with holding.

 

"Are you?" Kara playfully raises an eyebrow back.

 

"Yes. Honestly." Lena answers unashamed.

 

"You don't filter anything you say no?"

 

"No, I'm pretty accustomed to telling people the truth right away. Part of profession."

 

"So you just pull on a straight face telling people that someone in their family didn't make it and get away with it?" Kara asks.

 

"Pretty much? I can't let my intuitions get in the way of work."

 

"So why are you here?"

 

"Layover?"

 

"I know, I mean why are you in Paris on the morning of the day before Christmas?"

 

"I told you earlier, Ireland." Lena shrugs as she started on her New York Cheesecake.

 

"For a holiday? Where are you coming from?" Kara curiously asks, Kara was also weirded by herself, but she seems pretty interested with the doctor she can't hide it.

 

"Home coming, I was born and raised in Ireland. I just volunteered in some province in Kenya for six months." Lena explains. "How about you? Why do you seem so angsty?" Lena adds.

 

"Me and my boyfriend broke up two weeks ago."

 

"Third party?"

 

"Not totally."

 

"One night stand?"

 

"Some kind of."

 

"Then what is it?"

 

"Addiction."

 

"Drug?"

 

"Nope. Intercourse."

 

"Oh." Lena cringes visibly making Kara uneasy, thinking she might've pushed a wrong button by telling her about that.

 

"Did he abuse you or something?" Lena concerns.

 

"Nope, not me, he ended up sleeping with my friend."Kara explains, cautious.

 

"I'm sorry for that. You okay now?" Lena asks.

 

"Yeah, it's easier to let them go when it's clearly their fault."

 

"At least you're okay now. Why are you spending Christmas alone in a foreign land?"

 

"I need to find myself."

 

There was silence after that. They just stared at each other for quite a while, Kara with a hopeful yet doubtful look on her eyes, while Lena's show concern and worry.

 

"Don't you just hate that?" Lena speaks again.

 

"Hate what?" Kara frowns.

 

"Comfortable silence."

 

"What's not to like about that?" Kara counters.

 

"Comfortable silence happens only when you finally found the one, where you can just shut the fuck up for a minute and still feel comfortable."

 

"I think that we're pretty far from that but I guess that's good right?" Kara reasons out, making the raven-haired woman giggle.

 

"Tell me Kar, why did you keep up with the unpleasantry of your ex?" Lena asks, with traces of pity in her features.

 

"I don't know actually, he was never a full time boyfriend though he's more of display, someone who'll escort me on formal gatherings. Nobody knows about his secret, even I, and even before I know it, it was too late."

 

"He sucks harder than an airplane bathroom." Lena scoffs, Kara can't help but giggle, knowing Lena's pretty affected by it.

 

"Yeah."

 

Silence again.

 

"You're not into small talks are you?" Kara teases.

 

"No it's not that, I'm calculating the amount of medical terms I might blurt in a minute if I ever talk long enough it'll bore you." Lena laughs, it was the first time she did and Kara immediately fancied her laughter.

 

"You're funny, you can tell me anything."

 

"Yeah, I feel that I can tell you anything, what are we strangers for right?" Lena jokes.

 

"Yeah we're like super cool." Kara jokes back.

 

"So you're an model?” Lena asks.

 

"Yes, I am. I also, write articles for fashion magazines from time to time." Kara offers, earning an impressed nod from the doctor.

 

"How about you?" Kara asks back.

 

"I'm a boring doctor and a bookworm." Lena proudly says

 

"Doctors are sexy." Kara suddenly blurts, not knowing the amount of innuendo the way she said those three words implied to Lena.

 

"Doctors are sexy?" Lena asks trying to pry on Kara's thoughts.

 

"I don't know they all look neat and are really intelligent." Kara shrugs avoiding the already skeptical look from one of the doctors she described.

 

"Hmm, if you say so." Lena nods

 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kara beams swatting Lena's arm, a gesture she didn't know she would deliberately do.

 

"Nothing. Swear." Lena smiles, the ones that reaches her eyes.

 

"Do you want to check on the airlines' counter for any update for our flight?" Kara asks.

 

"Sure. Are you flying with Aer Lingus too?" Lena agreed.

 

"Ahuh."

 

"So I forgot to ask, do you speak Irish?" Kara asked as they made their way to the airline counter.

 

"No gosh, I’m a shame to my family to be honest.” Lena laughs. “We can talk Dutch if you want?" Lena winks.

 

" _Ik vind je leuk._ " Kara tries, hearing that line from some of her Dutch friends all the time.

 

" _Ben je serieus?_ " Lena laughs, Kara frowns.

 

"I mean are you serious?" Lena translates.

 

"About what? About _ik vind je leuk_?" Kara giggles.

 

"Ahuh? You know what that means right?" Lena playfully raises her eyebrow.

 

"Actually no, I just hear it all the time when I'm with my Dutch friends." Kara shrugs, maybe it meant something like 'hi' or 'how are you.' "Will you tell me?" Kara asks, as she turned back to Lena who's lagging a bit behind her.

 

"Sure." Lena nods, walking dangerously closer to Kara their arms almost brushing, Kara froze.

 

"Kar, what you just said means, you like me." Lena says walking passed Kara with a knowing smile.

 

 _Fuck. I'm sold._ Kara thought to herself.

 

" _Bonjour!_ " Kara hears Lena greets the French woman by the counter with a chirpier voice, the woman behind the counter smiled earnestly.

 

" _Bonjour madame._ " The ground stewardess greets back.

 

" _Toute mise a jour pour le vol a Ireland?_ " Kara raises an eyebrow at how fluently the doctor speaks French.

 

" _Je suis desole madame, mais le vol pour Ireland a ete deja relou pour demain matin._ " The stewardess answers in a neutral voice, but Kara saw how Lena's eyebrow gracefully perched up meaning something's wrong.

 

" _Oh, que non ce je suis en attente d'entendre, mais je suppose que vous faites de votre mieux – I prendre?_ " Lena says in a low tone, not mad just disappointed.

 

" _Oui bien sur madame, nous sommes vraiment desole pour le inconvinience mais le temps a Ireland est incroyablement mauvaise._ " The stewardess explains in a clear apologetic manner, Lena nodded in understanding.

 

" _Je suppose que Noel a Paris serait boones oui?_ " Lena asks again, Kara is already fidgety about the exchange, she's already thinking that maybe she's spending the Christmas eve in an airport.

 

" _Oui madame, un tres bon restaurant francais est juste autour du bloc extreieur de l'aeroport, vos bagages sont deja en securite avec nous._ " The stewardess assures with a nod and smile.

 

" _Tres bien, merci beacoup._ " Lena nods.

 

" _Merci beacoup pour vorte comprehension madame, Joyeux Noel._ " The woman says.

 

" _Joyeux Noel aussi!_ " Lena returns before turning to face the lost Kara beside her.

 

"Wow." Kara utters shamelessly.

 

"Sorry, I told you I'm a bookworm." Lena smiles.

 

"So you mean you taught yourself?" Kara asks as they walked towards the exit of the airport.

 

" _Oui._ At first it was impossible but if you want it, you gotta do everything to learn it." Lena smiles. "By the way, she told me that the our flight to Ireland was rescheduled tomorrow morning, because the weather is impossibly bad for a flight there, so we need to spend Christmas here, but she said there's nothing to worry about since our baggage are safe. Do you have your passport, visa, money and phone with you?" Lena details.

 

"Oh we'll spend Christmas here?" Kara pouts clearly not happy.

 

"I'm afraid yes, I'm really sorry. But she also told me that there's this very fine French restaurant just outside the airport so, is it okay for you to spend your Christmas with a stranger? You're already spending it alone on the first place." Lena wiggles her eyebrows, and Kara can't help but find it adorable, so she broke into a smile and nodded.

 

"Only if you promise not to say, curse or mutter anything in Dutch, French, and other language you know that I don't." Kara warns.

 

" _Et qu'allez-vous faire si je fais_?" Lena laughs.

 

"See!? You're already messing with me." Kara stomps tucking her arms in front of her chest.

 

"It's nothing I was just asking you, what would you do if I say, curse or mutter anything in any other language than English?" Lena translates.

 

"I'll leave you behind." Kara threatens.

 

"All right, no Dutch, French, Italian, Korean and Japanese. Noted." Lena casually counts with her fingers.

 

"Are you trying to impress me about how multilingual you happen to be?" Kara smilingly frowns.

 

" _Impressionarti? No!_ " Lena said in Italian and burst out laughing.

 

"You’re doing it again!" Kara continues to walk towards the Taxi stand.

 

"I'm sorry okay? The look on your face is priceless, and no I'm not trying to impress you, how am I supposed to do that when you wouldn't understand me anyway?" Lena reasons out.

 

"Acceptable." Kara shortly answers.

 

"Again I’m sorry _._ Don’t get mad." Lena sincerely says looking at Kara who's back was facing her.

 

"I’m not." Kara gave in easily, hearing the cute accent from the doctor.

 

"Promise?"

 

"Ahuh. If our Christmas dinner sucks harder than an airplane bathroom, then I'm mad _._ " Kara blurted, making Lena laugh.

 

"Dinner’s on me then, or maybe not only dinner." Lena says, reaching for Kara's hand and clutching it firmly.

 

Kara was stunned, she didn't realize that Lena has already removed her leather gloves, and her hand was surprisingly warm and soft. Kara felt little tingles down her spine.

 

"Where are you taking me?" Kara asks as they got inside a cab.

 

"We'll spend Christmas in the City of Love, so we might as well find love here." Lena nods to Kara as she turned to the cab driver.

 

" _Bonjour monsieur, au marche de Noel s'il vous plait?_ " Lena asks and the driver politely nodded with a smile and instantly stepped on the pedal.

 

"I'm taking you to some Christmas market." Lena says a-matter-of-factly.

 

"Have you done this before?" Kara inquires.

 

"With a stranger? Nope. I did this two years ago, when my girlfriend left me." Lena casually says.

 

"Then why are we doing it? Aren't you still affected by it?"

 

"No, not anymore. And besides you'll love Christmas markets, if not then you can smack me on the head." Lena crosses her heart like a kid.

 

"For a doctor, you're pretty uhh upbeat and young actually." Kara states.

 

"Ahuh, I know, I am the youngest in the family of doctors." Lena says, "But also the best." She playfully adds.

 

"How would I know?" Kara playfully doubts.

 

"Good point." Lena agrees and they melt into laughter.

 

What's even funnier is that. They only met about two hours and a half ago but for the both of them it already felt like they're reconnecting friends.

 

"Damn." Kara cusses as the cab dropped them at _Montmartre,_ one of Paris' most popular Christmas Markets.

 

"Never been to one before?" Lena smiles as she marveled at Kara's already dazzled state.

 

"Not in Paris." Kara counters.

 

"You should see Christmas Markets in Austria, Belgium and Germany! They're bigger and more festive, but then come on let's check shops out." Lena says taking Kara's hand again, the latter shifted her gaze to the adorably beautiful woman dragging her around like a kid, and asked herself.

 

_Where have you been this whole time?_

 

Kara shook her head from the instant attraction she's feeling for "Lee" the doctor who knows more language than her linguistics professor back in National City.

 

_Why now?_

 

_Why me?_

 

_Why you?_

 

_Why us?_

 

_And why in a layover that'll only last until tomorrow?_

 

"Kar? Are you okay?" Lena turns as they stopped at one of a wine place in the long line of food and beverage kiosk.

 

"Yeah, what are we doing here?"

 

"You want to try their, warm mulled wine?" Lena smiles her eyes disappearing as she did, and Kara was only able to nod.

 

Lena let Kara's hand go and latter's heart sank. She walked towards the narrow path inside the stall, she greeted another pretty looking French lady, in her French tongue and Kara felt a tinge of jealousy when the French lady reached out for Lena's hand to shake it before Lena took two of the glasses of wine on the table.

 

"Here." Lena says offering Kara one of the glasses.

 

"Isn't too early for wine?"

 

"No, it's mulled so more likely they are there to keep you warm." Lena winks.

 

"If you say so, Doctor Lee." Kara says before anchoring her arm with Lena's looking back to the French lady who's still checking Lena out, with a 'back off bitch' look, she didn't know she could muster.

 

They strolled the market for about another hour or so, until Lena felt the need of something sweet.

 

"Do you want to try their _Buche de Noel_? Or Yule Log in English."

 

"Is that solid food?" Kara cautions feeling the growing hunger.

 

"Yes. Some kind of pastry. It's one of the oldest kind of pastry they have here. They also boast with _puits d'amour,_ or the _wells of love_ , according to what I've read it was once it's basically chocolate cups with a rich, creamy custard on the inside." Lena explains as she pulled Kara in the long line of bakeshops.

 

"Wow I love chocolate, actually. Though I have to limit my intake for the sake of keeping my figure." Kara whines, which Lena find amusing.

 

"You're perfectly fit don't worry one yule log won't hurt your figure." The doctor assures.

 

After indulging on not one but four yule logs for the both of them, they felt hyper, literally because of the amount of chocolate and custard they ate. It's like they've been high with chocolate or something. After the Christmas market, Lena pulled Kara for a walk.

 

"Where are we going?" Kara wonders

 

"Printemps."

 

"That's a high end mall." Kara frowns.

 

"Have you licked windows?" Lena smiles.

 

"Licked windows?" Kara scoffs.

 

"Ahuh, there's this famous, French phrase for "window shopping", it's _Leche-vitrine,_ which literally translate to "window licking". Most of the time, French parents would bring their kids in places like Printemps so they could literally lick windows." Lena explains and laughs.

 

"So you're taking me to Printemps to lick windows?" Kara narrows her eyes at Lena who giggled harder with a nod.

 

"You can buy anything if you happened to like them very much. But Printemps is a bit pricey. So for me I'll just stroll for the sake of window shopping." Lena says.

 

After a few more minutes of walking Kara, was wowed for the nth time that morning, to see such luxurious shopping mall, for her it's more like a gallery for high end fashion, goods, and products in small, appealing vignettes. But the place was too crowded nonetheless, "window licking" with the doctor has been more interesting than actually buying off things she liked. The historical stories and trivia from Lee alone occupied Kara good.

 

"Let's go to the top floor." Lena suddenly says as she pulled Kara to the elevator on the third floor of the booming place.

 

"What's in the top floor?" Kara frowns.

 

"Paris." Lena shortly answers.

 

They ended up on the 9th floor of Printemps where they were welcomed by the panoramic view of the city.

 

"See? Paris." Lena names as she let Kara wonder near the overseers.

 

"This is great." Kara utters in much amazement.

 

It was around three in the afternoon when Lena thought of the next thing they're going to do.

 

"Kar, do you skate?" Lena asked as they walk out of Printemps.

 

"Yeah. I do. Why?" Kara nods.

 

"Come." Lena says offering her hand to Kara, which the latter naturally almost eagerly took. Lena hailed another cab at the intersection.

 

" _Salut Monsieur! Des Champs-Elysees s'il vous plait?_ " Lena turns to the guy and like the first cab they rode, the driver just smiled, nodded and stepped on the pedal.

 

"We're skating." Lena states as they got off the cab, facing the frozen garden where Kara saw the most number of couples holding hands while gliding through ice.

 

"It's prettier at night, but then we don't have all the time in the world so, let's make the most of the time we have here?" Lena turns to Kara.

 

"I'd love that." Kara revered, feeling thankful of her God Given talkativeness; because if not for that 'Layover on Christmas sucks' whine, she wouldn't get to know this amazing human being she's with. And it still sucks mainly because tomorrow morning she'll have to let her go. She would ask for her number or whole name but she fears rejection and all, so she just decided to make the most out of everything today.

 

Fifteen minutes, twenty euros, and two skate fitting after, Lena and Kara are like any other couple out in the open Champs-Elysees, gliding evenly on the smoothness of the rink.

 

"How long have you been volunteering?" Kara asks.

 

"Since I finished my degree to be honest." Lena explains. “I haven’t thought of stopping just yet.”

 

"Why not?" Kara asks.

 

"Helping people, it was taught to my brother and me since we young, and it just stuck." Lena explains.

 

“It’s good, what you do is noble.” Kara offers making Lena smile.

 

“I might choose to volunteer in the US next so we could hang.” Lena teases.

 

“That would be awesome! Try National City.” Kara teases back.

 

“America right now doesn’t sit too well with me, to be honest. I don’t feel connected as much as any other countries I've been to.” Lena confesses.

 

"Then maybe now you can feel a little connected to the place then?" Kara asks.

 

"How?"

 

"Because of me. After Ireland, I am expected to come home for a new project. So visit me there some time." Kara revered, hopeful for a positive answer.

 

"I'll think about it." Lena says, Kara's heart sank again.

 

"Don't you consider me as a friend yet?" Kara pouts, which made Lena smile.

 

"Of course you're a friend, but then I do have some responsibilities like you with your project? I am expected to report on the UN office in Dublin." Lena explains.

 

"If you already consider me as a friend, would you tell me your name then?"

 

"Would you tell me yours?" Lena counters, Kara nods eagerly, Lena chuckles.

 

"Okay, okay, Name's Lena Keiran Luthor." Lena offers her hand.

 

"Hi Lena, I'm Kara Zor-El Danvers." Kara grins widely as she imperviously shook Lena's hand.

 

"Come on let's get you off the ice, you're already too pale." Lena notices.

 

"Sorry, ain't used to cold weathers anymore." Kara shudders.

 

"I know. You're lips are chapped." Lena knowingly nods.

 

Lena held Kara closer to her now, so close they could seek comfort with each others body heat.

 

"Hey, sorry for being too comfortable with you." Lena murmurs as they got into another cab that'll take them back to Charles de Gaulle airport.

 

"It's fine. I'm too comfortable with you too." Kara sighs as she lets go to the need of leaning her head on Lena's shoulder.

 

"Thank you for today, stranger." Kara says as she doze off to sleep, exhaustion taking over.

 

"You're welcome Kara." Lena smiles as she leaned her head to Kara's.

 

\--

 

"Hey Kar, you want to book a night at Sheraton?" Lena asks as they haul their hand carries from the boot of the cab." I mean the flight's not till 11 in the morning tomorrow." Lena worries.

 

"Sure. Are we sharing? I don't want to sleep alone." Kara pouts, making Lena laugh.

 

"You sure? You're sharing a room with me?" Lena teases.

 

"Why are you going to make a move on me?" Kara dares, Lena’s eyes widen.

 

"I - wait - I - what?" Lena struggles, instead of being offended Kara laughs.

 

"So I’m not your type, I get it." Kara counters.

 

"What? No it’s not - I - " Lena stutters.

 

"It’s okay Lena, I’m just teasing. You are so flushed, it’s too funny." Kara laughs, making Lena breathe again.

 

"You're funny." Lena shook her head, also trying to shake her nerves away. "Come on let's go check in and visit the Galaxie bar." Lena adds as she forced the still giggly Kara towards the Sheraton Hotel lobby inside the airport.

 

It was surely a night, no, accurately a day to remember for both of them. Kara was very sure of the feelings she's catering while Lena's cautious as ever. Nonetheless, they both enjoyed each other's company.

 

They checked in an economy room, consisted of a decent two single beds, a couch and a mini bar, not that they couldn't afford anything pricier, cause clearly they could, it's just that according to Kara it isn't practical to spend too much for an eight hour sleep, which Lena agreed upon.

 

After settling in they decided to visit the Galaxie bar at the lounge, it's not some kind of bar where you meet randoms and make out with them right away, it's more of the pub where people who'll have early morning flights the next day could have a drink or two for a good night sleep.

 

"So umm, favorite color?" Kara asks, already a bit tipsy from two tequila shots, one bourbon and one scotch.

 

"Seriously?" Lena frowns equally tipsy because Kara ordered their drinks.

 

"Yeah! Come on."

 

"I love black. How about you?" Lena asks.

 

"I’m more of a pastel kind of girl." Kara answers quickly. "How about author? Since you're a bookworm?" Kara asked again.

 

"Hmm, for fictions I've always been a fan of Nicholas Sparks, although I'm not too romantic, I loved Haruki Murakami's 1Q84 and Norwegian Wood, then Dan Brown's Da Vinci code and Angels and Demons. For non-fictions I think I'll go for, Bill Bryson for A Short History of Nearly Everything. What about you? Who's your favorite actor or actress? Or what's your favorite movie?"

 

"For film I've always been a fan of Angelina Jolie, but I never liked Brad Pitt. I like Tom Cruise more. I loved all the James Bond and Harry Potter films."

 

"British much?" Lena teases.

 

"Well then, I’m an honorary half-Brit?" Kara giggles.

 

"So have you found love in the City of Love?" Lena meaningfully asks.

 

"I'd love to think that but I can never be so sure." Kara vaguely answers.

 

"How would you know if you'd never try?" Lena pushes.

 

"How will you try if you never know if the other side wanted to try?" Kara counters.

 

"How would both party know if they're both terrified of rejection?" Lena asks true to her feelings.

 

"Then I guess they'll just have to drift quickly apart just like how they quickly met." Kara says looking down to her half empty glass of margarita.

 

"That's a sad ending. But reasonable." Lena agrees. Kara reverted her eyes to meet Lena.

 

They stared at each other for God knows how long, only their eyes knew the conversation they're trying to settle. But their minds are blinded with confusion and doubt.

 

The first kiss happened as soon as Lena pushed the door to the room they share. Kara with the overwhelming amount of alcohol in her system harshly pinned Lena against the wall and hungrily kissed the latter who was taken by surprise, but as soon as Kara was able to open Lena's mouth, their eyes closed.

 

Lena fought to kiss Kara back when her body hit the soft duvet of her bed. Kara felt Lena moved under her, that's when Kara slowed down to feel Lena. The latter's kiss was focused and intense, knowing and introducing, the kiss sent ripples of quiver to Kara's loins.

 

Lena tenderly caressed Kara's face, her fingers winds through Kara's loose bun. Their breathing went faster and faster as the blur of the ambiance of the room slowly drifted passed them. Lena kissed Kara ever so passionately like she has already done it before and Kara forgets her own name.

 

Kara woke up on her bed around nine in the morning, fully clothed. She was confused.

 

_Was I dreaming?_

 

Kara frowned, because her lips felt tenderly violated but she's still on her sweater and pants. Kara slowly shifted to face Lena's side of the bed but it was empty. After a few minutes the door from the bathroom opened and out came the fresh from the shower doctor who's smiling ever so widely. Kara gave her a sheepish look.

 

" _Bonjour Madame,_ Breakfast before the flight?" Lena greets.

 

Although confused Kara proceed to the shower and fixed herself. She wanted to ask Lena what happened last night but the alcohol already wore off and she's back to her shy self.

 

"Kar, umm, about what happened last night - -" Kara stops to face Lena.

 

"What happened?" Kara doubts, only to regret it the moment she saw the pained look on Lena’s face.

 

"Oh nothing. Don't mind me." Lena shrugs.

 

 _Damn it!_ Kara internally cursed as she felt the sudden surge of awkwardness between them that they never felt in the course of their surprise adventure yesterday.

 

Kara felt bad, more than bad she felt mortified. She should've told Lena about how much she wanted and desired what happened last night.

 

"Lena about what you said - -" Kara starts wanting to correct her mistake.

 

"No it's fine Kara, you don't have to worry about it." Lena instantly cut her off and continued to walk towards the waiting area, where they first met.

 

"And what? Forget about it?" Kara hisses, Lena stopped and walked back to Kara.

 

"I'm sorry for what happened last night, but it is better if we just think of it as a dream or something, and not complicate our lives." Lena pathetically retorts, even the expression on her face tells Kara otherwise.

 

"Wow. You've been amazing really since yesterday until what you said just now. I didn't know you're - -"

 

"What?"

 

"I didn't take you for a coward." Kara blunts.

 

"I am not."

 

"Then why are you like this?"

 

"Kara we both know what we could start with what we have now is undoubtedly impossible and complicated. You are amazing yourself, and I wouldn't want to let you go just like that but Kara, you're living on the other side of the world. And - -"

 

"Stop explaining, please. I get it. It's not going to be worth it. I get it Lena." Kara waves off.

 

They started of as strangers and ended just the same. Kara's heart was still colder than the winter weather but it's not because of her former relationship, it's because of the stranger sitting five chairs away from her on the waiting area on the same row of chairs they were seated yesterday.

 

Kara and Lena separately got into the plane, on separate seat numbers, and after an hour and forty-five minutes they arrived at Dublin Airport separately. Both are bewildered. Having the same feeling towards for each other but also doubtful and cautious.

 

Kara found her seven-day trip in Ireland totally unnecessary after all, because it's Ireland  for Pete's sake. All she can think off was _her._ Lena ruined Ireland for Kara.

 

Lena was equally conflicted with what happened, she has already reported at the UN office, and has took a days off for four days now. She's lost, Kara was fucking with her mind. And her parents and brother are starting to notice.

 

"Lena? Can we talk?" Lena's mom asks on Lena's fifth day off.

 

"Yes mom?"

 

"What happened in the Kenya?"

 

"Nothing mom, but something happened on my layover in Paris." Lena confesses, her mother knows about her preference and being gay in Ireland is no biggie.

 

"A woman." Her mom concludes. "What happened?" Her mom asks as she sat in front of Lena.

 

"I shut her off." Lena heavily sighs. "She was amazing mom, really the kind of woman I'd like to bring home for you guys to meet." Lena honestly recounts.

 

"And it all happened in just a layover?" Her mom smiles.

 

"Yeah. Just almost 24 hours." Lena chuckles and shakes her head.

 

"Why did you drive her away?"

 

"Because she lives in the US, she's a model mom. She has a very public life. What if she's not out and proud, where would that take me?"

 

"Have you asked her? Have you at least tried talking to her?" Her mom asks, and Lena shakes her head.

 

"But that's more likely what's going to happened right?" Lena justifies.

 

"Would you be able to forget her?"

 

"I don't know mom, she's crazily mind fucking me now." Lena grunts and her mom laughs at her.

 

"Book a flight to the US tonight and fly tomorrow. Find her. US isn’t small so you have to start somewhere. But I’m sure you'll find her."

 

"But mom -"

 

"Would you just want her to fuck your mind and not your body?" her mom retorts with a hearty laugh.

 

"God mom, you're so vocal." Lena grunts in embarrassment.

 

"Lena go where your heart is. And the instant you see her, hug her, hold her and never let her go. If that doesn't go as planned then at least you tried. You wouldn't want to wonder what if for the rest of your life right?" her mom explains.

 

"I guess you're right mom. I just hope she's on her way home too. I don't even have the chance to ask her when's her return flight."

 

"Love will find you. Love will find her. Love will find a way." Lena's mom says with conviction.

 

"Thanks mom."

 

It was a sunny December day, unusually sunny for Dublin's always gloomy skies. Lena was carrying her travel bag towards the gates. She's hopeful. She's risking. And she's careless. The first time in her 27 years of existence.

 

Kara was already on her way to the airport, she decided to come home a day earlier because of the new project she's going to work on. She's already almost late and the gates are about to close, thank God she made it through.

 

She was escorted by a kind stewardess to her aisle seat, next to a maroon beanie, leather jacket and black ripped skinny jeans wearing stranger and a middle aged man on the window seat. The woman’s wearing her sunglasses but Kara has already memorized the perfect shape of the woman’s jawline days ago.

 

"Being late for a flight sucks." Kara blurts to no one, mostly herself.

 

"Sleeping in late knowing you have a flight the next day makes you the sucker.” The woman answers with a knowing smirk. This situation is unbelievable, both of them know that.

 

Kara deliberately looked to her right, her heart racing.

 

"Meeting the same stranger again sucks." Kara bitterly says.

 

"Meeting the same stranger again is awesome." Lena mutters as she removed her beanie and closes her book.

 

"Why?" Kara scoffs stopping herself from looking to her right again.

 

"Because then you can continue the conversation you abruptly dropped when you parted ways." Lena says looking straight ahead as well.

 

"Dweller." Kara said describing Lena

 

"Drifter." Lena countered describing Kara

 

"Doctor." Kara huffs.

 

"Model."

 

"Coward." Kara accuses

 

"Hero." Lena sighs.

 

"National City." Kara states, because that’s where she’s going.

 

"National City."

 

"Why?" Kara frowned

 

"Kara." Lena answers as she looked over to Kara who was already looking at her.

 

"Lena." Kara breathes out slowly, trying to accept the fact that Lena’s going to National City to find her.


End file.
